The Son of Auron: The Ruba Spheres
by Callik
Summary: Part one of The Son of Auron. A young boy struggles to discover his destiny. To survive, he must join with a madman, confront a monster, and even face his most greatest fear of all. LONGER SUMMARY INSIDE!
1. Prologue

A/N: OK, I'm back again with another FFX fic. Those of you who have been reading and hopefully enjoying my other fanfic, please read the following message to understand what's going on. I am gonna take this time to give you a longer summary of this fic due to the lack of information that I failed to fit into the summary box, so READ THE FOLLOWING!  
  
Summary: A dark and clouded past is finally revealed in the mysterious prelude to The Son of Auron: The Hope of Spira. A boy struggles to discover his true purpose as he takes on a quest for vengeance, honor, and answers. To survive, he must join with a master of deception, and fight against many terrors until he is forced to face his worst fear of all. Only until he does this can he find his true destiny. If he does not survive, all of Spira may fall into darkness.  
  
Well there you have it, the long summary. Now I have to skip to the legal stuff.  
  
Disclaimers: Ok, the only part of FFX that I own is the game and its sequel. It has gotten a lot harder though due to the release of FFX-2 because The Son of Auron is kinda like a different X-2 storyline. Just bear with me, Ok. Also, I do own most of the characters in this fic unlike the second part. This fic has deemed this rating due to a bit of angst along with some blood and violence and some minor cursing just so you know. And that's about everything so now I give you:  
  
The Son of Auron: The Ruba Spheres  
  
Prologue  
  
Yuna and her guardians were walking down the Mihen Highroad where they were stopped by a trio of Chocobo knights patrolling the area.  
  
A fiery-haired woman leading the group of birds spoke up, "Lady Summoner, I presume?"  
  
"Yes, I am Yuna," said the Summoner of the party.  
  
The woman on the Chocabo spoke again, "I am Lucil, captain of the Djose Chocobo Knights."  
  
The dark haired female rider to Lucil's right spoke up, "And I'm Elma. We've been charged to guard the highroad."  
  
"There have been reports of a large fiend appearing in this area, with a taste for chocobos," said Lucil.  
  
Elma said, "Do take care, Summoner Yuna, if you are to rent any chocobos?"  
  
"Thank you. We will be careful," replied Yuna.  
  
"Good," said Lucil. "We should get back to our rounds. Farewell."  
  
"Our prayers are with you," said Elma.  
  
The trio of Chocobos departed toward the north end of the road.  
  
The third of the riders hadn't properly introduced himself. His name was Clasko.  
  
He rode with Lucil and Elma down the road once more until he was asked by Elma to ride ahead towards the northern point while she and Lucil helped assist a nearby wagon.  
  
He dismounted his bird when he arrived at the travel agency and entered the shop to buy supplies.  
  
Entering the shop, Clasko walked up to the counter to purchase some potions.  
  
The shopkeeper handed him his request and prepared to exit.  
  
He was called back by a weary voice that seemed to ring over all of the chatter and ruckus of other customers.  
  
"Hey, hey you. HEEEEY!" called the voice.  
  
Clasko turned in shock to look apon an old man appearing to be a hermit.  
  
The old man spoke up again, "You look like one of them soldier folk that'r head'n ta Mushroom Rock, righ?"  
  
Clasko nodded cautiously and said, "Why do you ask?"  
  
The old man chuckled to himself, "I jus' thought ya might want this here map that I stumbled across coming here. It looks like the Rock road so for a few pieces o' gil there an it's all yere's."  
  
Clasko took a moment to decide but chose to take the offer because he was afraid of the creepy old fart.  
  
He examined the layout of the map and found many land marks that resembled those found on the actual trail such as the statue of Lord Mihen.  
  
The one thing that caught his attention was a strange circle around the statue on the map and the words "HS-1" was scribbled beside it.  
  
Across the top of the map were the words "#16-MR" in poor hand writing and some small bloodstains spotted the back.  
  
Clasko looked up at the old coot with a smirk but the hermit was gone.  
  
-Later-  
  
Clasko stood guarding the northern gate as Yuna and her party arrived on some rented chocobos.  
  
Stepping forward, he said, "You have to leave your chocobos here."  
  
"Come on, everyone off!"  
  
After they were granted access by Lord Seymour to enter, Clasko too entered the road.  
  
"Excuse me, Lady Summoner Yuna?" said Clasko running up to greet the party.  
  
"Yes?" she asked.  
  
"The command center..." he continued.  
  
"Maester Seymour requests your presence there, ma'am."  
  
"Thank you," she replied.  
  
"Take that road to the command center. It's not far."  
  
"We're still in the midst of preparations this way. Sorry." Said Clasko as the summoner departed.  
  
Clasko then diverted his attention toward the other road.  
  
He informed the guard of his departure and that he would return as he set off down the road to the statue.  
  
Clasko's number one weakness in life was his curiosity.  
  
When he saw that circled statue on the map that he now looked apon, something told him that he was going to find something there, something that he wouldn't regret finding.  
  
Arriving at the feet of the statue, Clasko observed the area around it.  
  
Several minutes passed and Clasko found nothing and as he was about to turn and walk away, he saw a small glimmer in the shadows cast by the back of the statue.  
  
He crept closer for a better look to find a dirty blue movie sphere embedded in the wall behind the sculpture.  
  
He carefully removed it, dusted off the dirt on the recorded item, and examined the bottom.  
  
Under it, he discovered a few words that read: Hope Sphere One.  
  
He was about to play the recording, hoping to find a message worthy of a handsome price to the sphere hunters but decided to view it after he had finished helping out with Operation Mihen.  
  
With that, he tucked it into his pocket and set off for the beach.  
  
-After the events of the attack from Sin-  
  
Clasko sat in his room at the Rin's Travel Agency on the highroad bawling his head.  
  
So many innocent lives lost for only trying to save others. When will the terror end?  
  
These were the thoughts that flashed through Clasko's mind.  
  
He suddenly felt as if his seemingly perfect job was starting to loosen its grip on him.  
  
He knew that this wasn't his destiny. He knew that it lasted elsewhere, but how could he quit now, when he was needed most? Would he have to wait for the next Calm to resign? Would there even be another Calm? What was his destiny?  
  
He lied down on his bed thinking that sleep would help but he felt a sharp pain in his upper leg.  
  
He reached into his pocket to pull out the sphere he had found at Mushroom Rock road.  
  
Maybe watching it would get his mind off of things.  
  
Activating the sphere, Clasko waited as the old movie hummed to life.  
  
A figure appeared in the sphere and Clasko realized that it was a man.  
  
He wore a blue robe along with some cargo pants, but this wasn't what surprised Clasko.  
  
It was the man's face, the fact that it was hidden for some reason.  
  
At first, Clasko thought him to be Al Bhed but he remembered that they wore masks.  
  
This guy wore a long, silk cloth wrapped around his jaw so that the end of the nose to the top of his shoulders were concealed.  
  
He wore dark mirrored sunglasses and a fisherman's hat on his head.  
  
Clasko was hesitant of watching further at first but his instincts told him to continue.  
  
Finally, the man spoke but when he did, Clasko discovered with surprise that this was in fact no more than a teenage boy.  
  
"If you are watching this sphere, then it most likely wasn't on accident," said the boy in the dome.  
  
"I have been on a quest for many years. Those many years have been filled with pain and betrayal. If you are watching this sphere, then I am probably dead already, but I wish not to remain anonymous to Spira for I want to be known as one who brought another day to this land or died trying. Do not get me wrong for I am not hoping for a monument, I only wish to be heard. Please, hear me and do not ignore me for this may be my last chance to end the growing threat that is about to strike. What I am about to tell you may be a shock but everyone must be known, I feel."  
  
Clasko continued to watch wide eyed as the sphere continued, "The story I am about to tell you is a long one for the short life I have lived here, because of this, I have left other spheres across Spira in places that are safe and hidden. I leave the directions to finding the next sphere at the end of each including this very one. I shall now tell you the story of pain that I have miraculously survived through and I hope that you listen. This is no more than a legend to many but to me, it is life."  
  
With that said, the boy cleared his throat and began his tale.  
  
-  
  
A/N: Wow, first chappie done and it was exhausting. Sorry about the length if you have read my other chapters but once the story gets along, it will gradually get longer. To those that have never read my other fic, it doesn't really matter if you read that before this even though it is the sequel to this fic. Anyway, please send reviews if you like this fic or if you didn't, but just know that it gets better. No flames please for all will be ignored and/or shall receive my wrath in the next chapter. Hehehe just kidding but no flames please. But overall, thanks to all reviewers of The Son of Auron: The Hope of Spira, and thanks to all who choose to review this fic. Like I said, this fic will get better. Cheers!  
  
~Callik~ 


	2. The Night of the Beginning

The Son of Auron: The Ruba Spheres  
  
Chapter 1  
  
The Night of the Beginning  
  
(A/N: This story told in the sphere is told in the first person. The story is also written as if it had just happened. Also, the story begins 10 years before the events of FFX)  
  
-  
  
"After thy world's most eternal threat is forever vanquished,  
  
After a greater evil rises from the depths and all hope seems vanished,  
  
A youth, small in threat, great in soal, inheriting a rare gift, long forgotten to  
  
Even thy wisest of wise men.  
  
Thy worthy spirit shall wield a treasure now lost to all of Spira crying out Two powers of one when he seeks aid.  
  
Only that can conquer evil  
  
Thy chosen soal call forth shall be known as The Hope of Spira.  
  
At evil's first victory, and the end seems near,  
  
The Hope of Spira shall then rise up to the power that stands before oneself,  
  
And he shall be accompanied by those who received life twice,  
  
Once by light, twice by darkness.  
  
They shant be alone for other receivers of the light shall bond with the alliance  
  
Together, the light shall triumph,  
  
And all evil shall be forever banished from our world."  
  
Those words would have meant nothing to me in the beginning. My life has been warped by those words, but in my younger days, I had very little worries.  
  
I was five at the time, and that's as far back as my memory goes.  
  
My family and I lived in the vast Calm Lands where we would enjoy life every single day.  
  
I was not a kid with many friends, I have to admit, because I spent most of my time by myself or with my parents.  
  
On the day my story starts, I was sitting in a little hollow on the side of the cliffs.  
  
I had been exploring one time and I had found a short trail leading into the side and it led me there.  
  
Was dazzled me the most was a shining glyph symbol in the wall. It always seemed to give me company.  
  
Nobody else knew about the place except for my dad and I.  
  
So anyway, I was lying on my back looking at the passing clouds down in my secret spot.  
  
I was beginning to see a cloud that resembled a sword when all of a sudden, a dark shadow blocked my view.  
  
I found myself looking into a face of a boy my age.  
  
I tried to stand but the boy threw me back on the ground.  
  
"Hey Jack, how's it going?" he sneered.  
  
His friends behind him began to laugh out loud.  
  
"Leave me alone, I have not done anything to bother you!" I said back.  
  
"Leave me alone, I have not done anything to bother you," the boy mocked in a baby's voice as his friends still laughed.  
  
This kid who was bullying me was one of the kids who didn't just ignore the fact that I didn't play with the other kids, he chose to rub it in and make it worse.  
  
His name was Scartra, and he was as mean as it got.  
  
He was one of the most popular boys of his age and he was also the most respected.  
  
This was probably due to the fact that he was the toughest and strongest of all of the kids.  
  
Nobody dared make fun of the fact that he was seven and he would hang out with a posy of five-year-olds.  
  
I never knew for sure, but I actually thought that Scartra only picked on me in jealousy due to his father being a clerk at the travel agency and mine being a warrior.  
  
"Go away!" I said again, attempting to rise to my feet again but Scartra pushed me down again.  
  
"What are you gonna do?" he asked, kicking me in the side.  
  
I let out a low groan as his lackeys roared with laughter.  
  
Scartra was about to deliver another blow to my ribs when a tall figure blocked the sunlight.  
  
"Is there a problem boys?" he asked.  
  
Scartra turned with a scowl but his face changed to fear.  
  
"Sir- Sir Auron, sir, we were just p-playing with Jack here but he, er, tripped, right fellas?" he stuttered glancing at his friends behind him who nodded agreement.  
  
"Jack, is that true?" asked Auron looking in my direction.  
  
I nodded in shame and Auron stepped aside to let Scartra and his friends go.  
  
Auron helped me up and dusted me off as I said, "Dad, how did you know I was in trouble?"  
  
My father shrugged and said, "I was looking for you, your mother has had lunch ready for an hour."  
  
I apologized and we began to walk back to our house.  
  
Along the way I said, "I have been working on the sword, wanna see it?"  
  
Dad shrugged and said, "After dinner."  
  
That was just like my dad, what's present comes first, the future comes later.  
  
That's what my mom had told me about him, though I never quite understood what she meant.  
  
We walked on until we reached the opposite side of the valley where we came to the raised area next to a canyon.  
  
We walked around the rising land until we reached our house built right into the rocky wall.  
  
I came in and greeted my mother, Elen.  
  
She was young looking for her current age and had golden blonde hair with deep brown eyes.  
  
She was the looking at me with a stern look and said, "About time you showed up, I was beginning to wonder if you had been gobbled up by a fiend."  
  
"Not with my daddy around," I said laughing and I was soon joined by my mother and father.  
  
After eating my lunch, I took my daddy's hand and led him outside to the back of the house.  
  
A small gap was in the wall with only enough room for a five-year-old's arm to fit in, making it the perfect hiding place for any small items.  
  
I reached in and pulled out a thin stick about three feet long.  
  
The first look would tell you that it was just a stick, but I had spent the last couple of months stripping the limb of its bark and had whittled it down to a point at one end.  
  
"Now I got a sword just like you daddy!" I said with glee.  
  
My dad felt the end with his finger and quickly drew it back with a jolt.  
  
I look at his finger and saw a small spot of blood at the end and I said, "Sorry daddy, I didn't mean to-"  
  
He cut me off, "No need to apologize son, you did a fine job. All it needs is a name."  
  
I thought for a moment and pulled out my carving stone from inside the gap and scratched something into the wood.  
  
"I got it! I'll name it after you!" I said.  
  
"I'm honored," said my dad. "The Auron, thanks son."  
  
I shook my head giggling, "No, not Auron. I named it, the daddy!"  
  
He and I fell over laughing out loud until we sat back up and joined my mom in the house.  
  
-  
  
The next day was one I'll never forget. It was the day my life shattered like a thousand shards of glass.  
  
It was a dark, cloudy evening and my family and I were sitting around the couch.  
  
Dad had just gotten home from a long day of training at the monster arena and he was telling us about it.  
  
Suddenly, he was interrupted by a loud knock at the door, which I answered.  
  
In the door was stood a man in heavy white robes and a large white hat.  
  
"Hello, young man, is your father home?" I nodded and asked him to come in.  
  
I showed the man to the room where my mother and father sat.  
  
My father looked up first and said, "Hello, Braska. It's been a long time."  
  
The man returned to welcome and added, "It's a shame that I bear bad new but we must talk in private," he said glancing at me.  
  
Dad nodded and signaled to my mother who sat up and led me out of the room.  
  
"What is father and that man talking about, Mommy?" I asked after we had left the room.  
  
"That is High Summoner Braska and I do not know why he is here. Maybe it is to visit you Dad," my mother said nervously.  
  
I don't know how long I waited for my father but it seemed like an eternity.  
  
Finally, my father entered our room with a look of sadness glazed over his dark eyes.  
  
At last, he spoke, "Elen, Jack, I have something to tell you."  
  
-  
  
It was raining as we all stood outside.  
  
The man named Braska and my father were infront of the house as my mother and I stood watching from the open doorway.  
  
Auron doubled back and ran to my mother and kissed her lightly on the mouth and the two embraced.  
  
He then bent down to me and patted me on the head said, "Don't worry, I'll be back."  
  
I had tears in my eyes as I looked up at him and soon found myself in his warm but wet arms.  
  
He whispered in my ear, "Tell you what, when I fight Sin, I'll tell him to watch out because when I'm too old and fat to fight when he comes back, my son will be there to take my place as his worst nightmare."  
  
This caused a flicker of laughter from me but the sadness still remained.  
  
"Hey, don't cry now, I expect you to take care of everything while I'm gone." He said giving me a nudge and I said, "I promise, I will Daddy."  
  
My father let go of me and hugged my mother once again.  
  
Braska put his hand on my father's shoulder and said, "It's time Auron."  
  
He nodded and walked away towards the pair of rented chocobos.  
  
They mounted the birds and after Braska had ridden off, my father turned and looked directly into my eyes and gave me a light salute.  
  
With that, he rode off and I soon found my legs running out after him, waving my arms, but he failed to notice.  
  
"Please come back, Auron," I said. That had been the first time that I had called him Auron.  
  
-  
  
Dark dreams awaited me when I fell asleep.  
  
I dreamed of myself running toward something bright, but I couldn't make it out.  
  
I heard something behind me but I didn't pause to look back.  
  
The light soon got slightly dimmer and I felt a warm feeling coming from it.  
  
Then, I could make out my father's robes and then his face.  
  
This is what scared me, for this didn't look like the father that had departed from me only a couple of hours ago. This man was older with graying hair and weak eyes. This man looked like a killer.  
  
I instantly stopped before him in fright and he noticed this.  
  
He spoke up in a weary voice, "Why do you fear what you once adored? Are you afraid of destiny, the one thing that you cannot escape? Why don't you speak?"  
  
I was too scared to answer anything at all as he grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and held me up. "Face what you fear, or it will destroy you forever," he said as he vanished in a flash of red light.  
  
I regained my breath and turned to see what I had heard earlier.  
  
Running as fast as the wind, and stopping at my feet appeared a dark figure.  
  
He was about my height and wore a dark hooded cloak with his face shadowed.  
  
"Who are you?" I asked.  
  
He answered by pulling out a long iron pole and swinging it at me with full force.  
  
I crumpled to the floor as he stood over me.  
  
He raised the bar over his head and just before bringing it down, took his other hand and pulled down his hood.  
  
I gasped in shock at the face beneath to realize that I was looking at myself.  
  
"Face your fears!" he said as I cowered in fright.  
  
"DADDY!" I shouted in shock and soon felt a searing pain in my right hand.  
  
Before I could look at it, I felt a heavy blow fall apon my exposed head as I soon only saw darkness.  
  
I suddenly woke up screaming to find myself within the safety of my warm sheets.  
  
When I looked down at the sheets, I was hit with utter fear at the sight of blood on them.  
  
I also felt the same pain in my hand and I looked at the palm to see a perfectly round open wound the size of a gil (That is about the size of a quarter.)  
  
-  
  
A/N: There you have it, chapter 2 is done. Sorry it took me so long to update but I have had little time to get to this chappie. In case you are a reader of my sequel to this fic, I am taking time off on that fic to finish this one. Sorry bout that if you like that one better but just so you know, this will get pretty good eventually. Congratulations to Storyweaver1 for winning the overdrive contest and your character will appear later on in this fic. Thank you Darkness Kingdom for your review. I don't know why I started this fic after the second part, I guess the idea came to me after the TSOA: Hope of Spira had been published. Anyway, please send me some reviews. More reviews encourage me to write more often or at all. So if you finish reading this chappie, don't hesitate to send in a review, even if you didn't like the chappie (NO FLAMES THOUGH!!!) Anyway, keep up the reviews and I'll keep up the writing.  
~Callik~ 


	3. The Deadly Discovery

The Son of Auron: The Ruba Spheres  
  
Chapter 2  
  
The Deadly Discovery  
  
All throughout the thunder plains, everything seemed peaceful and quiet with the exception of the thunder echoing around the land.  
  
Then, the crunching steps were heard throughout the plains.  
  
The footsteps belonged to a pair of heavy boots and they belonged to a pair of strong legs covered by a pair of dark blue pants.  
  
The legs were joined to a broad torso bearing a large shirt with the sleeves cut off and a flame insignia on the front.  
  
The wearer of the shirt had two strong arms and a hardened face and night black hair.  
  
For years, he had had one dream and now, he felt his time had come.  
  
A soldier was his goal and not just a soldier, but a crusader.  
  
He was approaching the military base, which was also the headquarters for the crusaders at the time.  
  
Arriving at the large double doors, he waited as the security camera scanned him in case he were to be a fiend.  
  
Finally, the gates opened and he entered with pride on his face.  
  
He was met by two guards who parted as he passed by without pausing.  
  
He continued down the long halls until he finally reached the doorway to the briefing room.  
  
The buzzer at the side panel clicked to life and said, "Are you here for the meeting?"  
  
The man said yes and the com said again, "Please state your name and we will check for your listings."  
  
The man took a second and replied, "My name... is Olo. Olo Eopia."  
  
-  
  
My mother was washing some dishes in the main room when I rushed in to tell her of my injury.  
  
Examining my hand, she exclaimed, "Now where could that be from? I know, it's that bloody stick that you have been carving. I told your father it was a bad idea but he wouldn't-"  
  
At the mention of my father, she stopped and wrapped my wound up in cloth and sent me outside to play.  
  
As I strolled down the path to my secret place, I pondered the source of the hole.  
  
How did I get it and how did I not feel it and notice it?  
  
I knew that I wasn't because of my stick, because I was careful with it always.  
  
That reminded me to run home and retrieve it from behind the house.  
  
I continued walking while swinging my stick at the ground.  
  
At times, I would pretend that I was a guardian for a powerful summoner and I fought Sin alongside my father with pride.  
  
I continued to wander until I reached my shelter on the cliffs.  
  
I laid down my stick and lay down on my back and gazed at the passing clouds.  
  
My father always told me that what you see in a cloud can affect your future but I didn't quite understand how.  
  
I thought I saw a cloud shaped like a long dark axe but I soon found myself falling into a deep sleep.  
  
-  
  
The man stood before a semi-circle table where generals, colonels, sergeants, and many other high ranking officers sat.  
  
The man's name was Olo Eopia and he had traveled a long way in his life to get to where he was.  
  
"Ah, Olo Eopia is it?" asked the center crusader and Olo Eopia nodded and said, "Yes sir, but if I may, I prefer to be called Olo if it is all right with all of you."  
  
The general said, "It is fine, Olo, but in the future, I or any other officers may call you what you want, is that clear?"  
  
Olo nodded and the officer continued, "Now, tell me, what are your skills?"  
  
Olo seemed to brighten in spirit as he said, "I am skilled at any for of combat, preferably with swords, sir!"  
  
The general seemed to smirk, "Well, that would be a fine asset to our group, but in the trials, you must prove it to us. Now, do you have your papers containing the required papers containing your education and approved signatures of legal guardians, mentors, and supervisors?"  
  
Olo stepped forward, pulled out a folded sheet of paper and handed it to the officer saying, "Here they are general sir!"  
  
The other officers began whispering among one another.  
  
The man at the head of the table stood up and said with a hint of anger in his voice, "That is no general you speak to, and you will, in the future, refer to the High Lord Mi'hen by his proper and formal name. Failure to comply to this will result in serious punishment."  
  
Olo seemed to have had his soal ripped out of him at that moment.  
  
He quickly apologized and was dismissed from the room.  
  
As he was leaving, he heard Lord Mi'hen call out, "You are to report to the combat trial in exactly one month. The earlier you are, the better, but if you are late, you will lose your position in the crusaders."  
  
-  
  
I found myself awoken by a heavy shaking and a series of laughter.  
  
I opened my eyes but I soon regretted it.  
  
Scartra stood over me with his friends behind him.  
  
"Finally wake up, loser?" he sneered.  
  
I attempted to stand but his booted foot pushed me back to the ground.  
  
He continued, "So, I heard that your dad left last night. Looks like you got nobody to save you anymore."  
  
"Shut up, when he gets back, I am gonna tell him what you guy did while he was gone," I yelled.  
  
Scartra's face hardened into an angry look, "Face it, your dad's gonna die!"  
  
I felt a tear slide down my cheek and I received another series of laughter from the intruders.  
  
Scartra picked up my stick and said, "Well, what's this, a great sword? Well let's see how well it does."  
  
His friends rushed over to hold me down as Scartra took my whittled stick and slashed my face causing a shallow cut to appear and a trickle of blood fall down with it.  
  
He cackled and said, "Well, I have to hand it to you, it is pretty...pointy!"  
  
His friends laughed and forced me to my feet.  
  
Scartra paced around before walking to the cliff edge where he held out my stick over the side.  
  
"DON'T!" I yelled but despite my cries and pleas, he dropped the stick over the edge.  
  
If there weren't three boys holding me up, I would have sunk to my knees and weeped.  
  
Scartra then whispered something in his friend's ears that I didn't hear and they walked towards me.  
  
Scartra through a series of punches at me and were followed by a series of kicks and punches from his friends.  
  
I suffered blow after blow and I could only cry and take more hits.  
  
Scartra stopped and said, "What's this?" he asked indicating at an object sticking out of my pocket.  
  
I tried to stop him from taking it out, but I was helpless as he did.  
  
It was a ruby on a gold chain studded with mythril that my parents had given me as a birth present.  
  
Scartra examined it and said, "I'd keep it but I have a better idea."  
  
He held this over the edge of the cliff where it was directly in front of my face.  
  
"It can join the tree branch," Scartra said with a laugh.  
  
I was lucky to get one arm free as I reached out toward a laughing Scartra and my necklace.  
  
"3," Scartra began.  
  
"STOP!" I screamed.  
  
"2," he continued.  
  
"NO!" I cried.  
  
With a smile, Scartra said, "One."  
  
"DADDY!" I screamed reaching out my hand once more.  
  
Before Scartra could drop the jewel, something happened then that changed the rest of my life.  
  
The wooden stick that Scartra had dropped of the cliff suddenly shot out of my outstretched hand where a round hole was.  
  
Scartra stopped laughing as the wooden sword shot through his open mouth, and pierced through the back of his head.  
  
Scartra sank to his knees with a huge grin and constant blood dripping off his mouth, and then fell to a heap on the grass.  
  
His friends released me and ran off screaming in fright.  
  
Startled, I too picked up my jewel and ran off back to the safest place I could think of: home.  
  
As I dashed to my home, I saw people staring after me whispering to each other.  
  
Some even screamed or fainted. Had the boys spread the word that fast?  
  
Arriving at home, I told my mother of what had happened and she cried for a long before we heard a knock at the door.  
  
Two royal guards from Bevelle stood in the doorway, looking angry.  
  
"May I help you?" my mother asked.  
  
"You know why we are here," said a guard blankly.  
  
I stepped forward and invited them in.  
  
I told them both the story of what had happened and they just nodded their heads.  
  
Finally, when I had finished, they stood and said, "We must take the case back to Bevelle and discuss it with the maesters to decide if he is innocent or not, but he'll have to accompany us until a decision is made.  
  
My mother tried not to cry as I was carried off by the large Bevelle vehicle in but I could see a tear stained face all the way from the Macalania Wood entrance.  
  
The whole way there, the guards were silent and when we arrived at the palace gates, I was shoved out of the back and forced to stay at their sides.  
  
Finally, I was brought before the entire council of maesters who stared at me as I was commanded to report the story.  
  
When I reached the part with the sword ejecting out of my hand, whey seemed to whisper amongst themselves.  
  
After I was finished, I was taken to a room in the back while I waited for the council to reach a decision.  
  
The room was soundproof so I was unable to hear their conversation.  
  
I even thought I saw a young man with jutting blue hair peek into the window at me, but he was gone in a flash.  
  
Finally I was called forth and Maester Jyscal boomed outloud, "The council has discussed the matter and has decided to set you free, but you must stay within fifty yards away from all citizens of the Calm Lands, with an exception of your mother, until your predicament is under control. If you fail to adhere to this, you will be sentenced to five years in prison and, or correctional facility."  
  
"Yes sir," was my reply and two hours later, I found myself in my mother's loving arms at home.  
  
-  
  
As the young Seymour Guado watched his father speak to the convicted boy, the more his hatred for him grew.  
  
"How could he set him free when he could be such a great asset!" his mind hissed at him.  
  
He turned in frustration and traveled to his chambers.  
  
He was lying on his sofa a few hours later when an idea struck him.  
  
Maybe the boy could find a way to him. Maybe he just needed a push in the right direction.  
  
He summoned a guard and scribbled something on a peace of paper and inserted it into an envelope.  
  
"Take this parchment to the Omega Ruins and place it on the altar at the furthest platform. That is all you must do. If you read it, I will kill you with the most painful weapon that we have," said Seymour.  
  
The guard nodded nervously and ran off.  
  
As he ran, he glanced down at the envelope.  
  
On it was the insignia of Seymour and written in Seymour Guado's handwriting was just one word: Omega.  
  
Seymour paced around his room some more and then in the lightest whisper said, "The boy will come."  
  
-  
  
I had a lot of trouble getting to sleep but it finally took me.  
  
That was one of the last nights that I slept so peacefully.  
  
That's when I remember the next night.  
  
It was raining...  
  
-  
  
A/N: Another chapter done and I am wiped out! It's been fun though. I want to point out to all of those reading this fic that as far I know, the chappies might not be as long as the ones in The Son of Auron: The Hope of Spira. It's just better not to cram too much information in each chapter. Anyway, time to answer some reviews.  
  
Sword Master Jeff: Hey thanks for the compliment, I appreciate it. As for Clasko giving Jack the sphere, maybe he will, maybe he won't. You gotta know though that Clasko has no idea when the sphere was recorded and if Jack is still alive.  
  
KuramaHasPrettyEyes: Thank you for you for your kind review and I admire your enthusiasm.  
  
Darkness Kingdom: Wow, I never expected anyone to like my fics so much. Thanks for your motivations.  
  
Well, thanks to all who reviewed and I hope to get more reviews. I'll try to update soon but I don't know how long I'll take. Anyway, thanks again for the reviews and I hope you enjoyed this chappie.  
~Callik~ 


	4. The Broken Soal

The Son of Auron: The Ruba Spheres  
  
Chapter 3  
  
The Broken Soal  
  
"I truly wish to continue my story now, but unfortunately, this sphere only holds so much recording room," the masked figure said to Clasko.  
  
It continued, "But, if you care enough to see what else is left, then the next sphere lies in the home of the thunder horse, Ixion. Find the correct source and speak the right question."  
  
With that, the hologram buzzed off.  
  
Clasko stared at the blank sphere in awe.  
  
His thoughts echoed over and over in his mind that he must hear more.  
  
Rain now soaked the soil as he departed on his Chocobo and headed for Djose.  
  
-  
  
The looming electric tower now faced the rider who slowly paced toward its entrance.  
  
The inside of the temple was not very crowded and Clasko found it quite welcoming but he had to find what he was looking for.  
  
He decided to ask a shadowy figure standing in the corner, so Clasko approached him.  
  
"Excuse me sir," Clasko said.  
  
The man looked up from under a large mass of red hair and said in a nervous voice "Is there a problem officer?" (Ha ha ha! Sorry, I couldn't resist!)  
  
"No, I was just wanted to ask you a question. Uh, do you know the son of the legendary Sir Auron?" Clasko asked.  
  
The man seemed bewildered at first then said, "THE Auron? I have never even known he had a son, just as much as know him."  
  
Clasko bowed and thanked the man for his time.  
  
Clasko then decided to check the miniature rooms of the temple where he found no person who could possess the sphere.  
  
Clasko then decided to try his last resource, the Cloister of Trials.  
  
He was admitted by the guard, which he was lucky to have been for only summoners and law enforcers were permitted inside.  
  
He journeyed as far as he could without using the spheres to enter new rooms and finally entered the furthest point.  
  
There, he found a stone column where summoners were to place spheres.  
  
There rested a single sphere in the center of the statue.  
  
He walked toward it when suddenly, a bolt of lightning struck the piece and hit the sphere.  
  
Clasko expected the sphere to shatter, but instead, it held on the bolt as if it defended it.  
  
Then, a man came out of the room behind him and stood between the sphere and Clasko.  
  
Clasko realized it to be the exact same old man that gave him the map in on the highroad agency.  
  
"It's you!" said Clasko and the old man nodded.  
  
Clasko continued, "Why did you lead me to the sphere recorded by that masked man?"  
  
The old man answered immediately when Clasko finished the sentence, "Is that your question for you only get one chance."  
  
Clasko then remembered that he must ask the proper question in order to receive the next sphere.  
  
"Uh, I guess the right thing to ask would be if I could have the sphere, but- no, I take that back!" Clasko stuttered.  
  
He thought and suddenly got an idea, "Who is Olo Eopia?" he asked.  
  
The old man paused for several seconds and then smiled.  
  
Clasko looked at him strangely but gasped when the man reached into the lightning with one hand and pulled out the sphere and handed it to him.  
  
When the sphere left the pedestal, the lightning ceased.  
  
Clasko turned to leave, but turned back to say thanks to the old man.  
  
When he looked back, the old man was gone.  
  
-  
  
Clasko had rented a room at the inn outside of the temple, firstly because the sun was setting and secondly because he wanted to see the newest sphere.  
  
He sat on the bed and activated the sphere.  
  
The familiar masked figure suddenly appeared again.  
  
He spoke, "So, you have seen the first sphere and now you wish to continue? I shall not stop you from listening but I must give caution for what comes next. It is probably the most painful event to happen in this story."  
  
-  
  
The judges watched as the many soldiers flocked the halls, ready for the combat trial to begin.  
  
Close by, stood Olo with his broad sword in his hand.  
  
The other competitors looked tough, but he knew he was ready.  
  
Soon, Lord Mi'hen stood at a large balcony and said to the silenced soldiers, "I welcome you to the combat trial for the crusaders. At the whistle, you are all to enter the large room behind me in to a specially prepared forest-like area filled with a large variety of fiends. You must survive for two hours and not be injured in critical state or killed."  
  
He continued, "Now, on my whistle... GO!" he said blowing his whistle.  
  
-  
  
I sat up quickly and looked around.  
  
I had been napping on the couch in my living room and must have dreamt.  
  
I looked outside as the sun was just setting.  
  
I then noticed something odd on the horizon close to Gagazet.  
  
They were very dark rain clouds, but they were moving faster than any kind I had ever seen.  
  
I would be seeing another rainstorm, just like when daddy left, I thought to myself.  
  
I told my mother of it so she told me close the door and windows, which I did.  
  
I looked out the window again at the nearing storm.  
  
Somehow, I felt a strange feeling when I looked at it, like the storm would kill me.  
  
Looking back on it, I was right in some ways.  
  
-  
  
The rain was now hitting the house with full force and we could hear the tapping all over the place.  
  
Thunder sounded and lightning crashed but I wasn't very afraid.  
  
Most kids my age would be afraid of lightning, but I found it a little comforting.  
  
My mother and I sat in our living room listening to the downpour when I remembered something and said to her, "Mother, you don't think that it is him causing the rain, do you?"  
  
There was an old story that had been used for many generations by parents to keep their children at their best behavior.  
  
It was about a maniac who had lived in the times when Zanarkand was still young and thriving.  
  
The crazed man was said to have hated Yevon even more than anyone else ever to exist.  
  
This changed him into a very powerful fiend, who some called the God of the Fiends.  
  
He caused misery, death and mayhem whereever he walked.  
  
It was said that whenever he traveled out in the open, a vast storm would follow him.  
  
The soldiers and maesters of Yevon finally trapped him in the ruins of a collapsed underground cavern, where he is said to only come out, when children are naughty.  
  
She shook her head and laughed and I soon got the picture and joined her.  
  
We suddenly stopped when we saw a large object pass our window.  
  
"Mommy, what was that?" I asked in fear.  
  
"I don't know, I'll go check but you stay here." She said as she headed for the window.  
  
She looked out then returned and said that she had seen nothing.  
  
Then, something wet dripped down from the ceiling and hit the floor with a hiss.  
  
We looked down at a small drop of what appeared to be acid that was rapidly eating through our floor.  
  
We looked up to see a thin hole in the ceiling.  
  
Then, more holes started appearing as more acid hit the floor.  
  
I ran to the window and looked up to the roof but could not see, so I dashed outside into the pouring rain with my mother shouting after me.  
  
I looked up to the roof once more, but this time I could see that it was coming from the rain. It was like some sort of energy rain with an acidic effect.  
  
I was about to yell to my mother but suddenly, everything around me just stopped.  
  
I looked around to see even the heavy rain frozen.  
  
I could now tell that for some odd reason, the energy rain was only pouring on my house and water was all that fell elsewhere.  
  
Just then, I heard a voice that seemed to come from everywhere around me.  
  
It said, "Your moment and purpose is about to surface. There is no escaping you destiny."  
  
I said out loud, "What are you talking about, are you a ghost?"  
  
The voice remained silent for a few seconds and then said, "I am your friend, and I am your enemy but that does not matter now. What matters is that you know what that the journey of Spira's fate is about to begin. You must face it no matter what. Your journey will begin now."  
  
Suddenly, the rain began to fall again and I heard something from behind me.  
  
I turned and wished that I hadn't.  
  
Before me stood the most frightening creature that I had ever seen.  
  
It was about thirty feet tall and two sets of spiny, armored arms and legs.  
  
Its face seemed to make my heart freeze and it had a long segmented tail.  
  
"W-who are you?" I muttered in fright.  
  
The creature seemed to smile and said, "I serve the God of the Fiends. I am a weapon. I was sent here by master to retrieve something important and it looks like I have."  
  
I then turned and ran back to my house but before I could reach the doorway, the monster leaped up and landed between us.  
  
I screamed and tried to run the opposite way but something grabbed me and threw me into the cliff wall next to our house.  
  
I began to cry in pain as the monster approached me.  
  
Just then, I saw my mother run out of the house and between me and my attacker.  
  
"Run Jack!" she yelled but I could hardly lift a leg off the ground.  
  
The weapon then sneered and grabbed my mother by the arms and held her up above its head.  
  
It then threw her high into the air and as she came down, its tail shot out spearing her though the waist and pinning her to the ground.  
  
"MOTHER!" I yelled as the creature sneered in satisfaction.  
  
I then looked around in desperation for a way to escape but I found nothing.  
  
Then a thought came to my mind.  
  
I remembered the incident at the cliff walls at my secret spot where I was attacked by Scartra.  
  
I had done something to cause my whittled stick to come from my hand.  
  
I had yelled "Daddy" that must have been what had triggered the event.  
  
I shook off the pain in my legs as best as I could and slowly stood to face the beast.  
  
Then I screamed "DADDY!" and faced my palm out but nothing happened.  
  
The monster began to laugh as I tried again and again.  
  
Eventually, it grew bored and grabbed me my shirt collar as I quivered in fright.  
  
"Where's your parents now?" it taunted.  
  
At those words, a great rage rose from within me.  
  
I held out my hand once more and yelled "DADDY!"  
  
This time, my stick responded and shot out of my hand and I caught it with the other.  
  
The beast dropped me and said, "Well, the worm now has a weapon, let's see what you can do."  
  
I grasped my semi-weapon and with all of my strength, leaped towards the beast.  
  
It caught me and threw me back to my place.  
  
I charged again and my body hit his fist and I went flying into the wall.  
  
Though blood and tears dripped down my face, I still attempted to attack.  
  
Each time though, he counter-attacked and sent me even more pain than the previous assault.  
  
Finally, the beast tossed me into the cliff walls with such force that I thought I would die but I did not.  
  
The monster then laughed, looked at my house that was now half eaten by the energy rain.  
  
It grunted and then cast a fire spell on it for the flames to consume the rest.  
  
He looked at all of the other houses dotting the Calm Lands and cast a fire spell on all of them as well.  
  
He then returned his gaze to me again and said, "It looks like my work here is done. My master will be most pleased. I will now leave you with nothing. Enjoy your mercy that I have shown you and you had better hope that we do not meet again."  
  
With that, he and the storm dashed away back to Gagazet and vanished behind the bend in almost no time at all.  
  
I crawled toward my mother who lay still as a grave.  
  
I could see that she was hardly breathing but she looked into my eyes and said, "J-jack."  
  
"I'm here mommy," I said as she struggled to continue.  
  
She said weakly, "My time is almost... up but you will live on. I want you to find your ...father, for he will... know what to do."  
  
She closed her eyes for a few seconds then opened them again and said, "I want you to find... your father. Just know... that I will... always... be with you." She said this and her eyes closed for the last time.  
  
I knew what had just happened and I buried my head on her shoulder and cried.  
  
The rain had just stopped by the time I had looked up and noticed that our house was completely burned down. I also heard screams coming from burning houses throughout the Calm Lands.  
  
I didn't know who that creature was. I didn't know why it had attacked me and burned my house down. I don't know who it worked for and I didn't know why it had ruthlessly killed my mother but I knew that they would pay and that I would never live in happiness until this was carried out.  
  
No matter how long it would take, I had to avenge my mother.  
  
-  
  
A/N: Woohoo! I finished another one! To all of those reading this fic, I am soooooo sorry for the long delay. There are three things to blame for this, writer's block, school, being grounded, chores, and school. I will try to update faster next time but it depends on how my schedule will be. I want to thank all that reviewed and I appreciate every one of them.  
  
StoryweaverOne- Thanks for the information on braska, and I'll try to put you in the fic as soon as I can. Darkness Kingdom: Well, nobody has ever told me I'm their favorite. That's really nice, thanks. The Final Fantasy Warrior: Thanks, I'll try to make my fics more flowing, but I can't promise anything. Amerowolf: Well, thanks for the review. Don't worry though, what I have planned for this fic will probably make our fics way different.  
  
Once again, I want to thank everyone for their review and I hope I get more for this one. Thanks.  
~Callik~ 


	5. The Angel Voice

The Son of Auron: The Ruba Spheres  
  
Chapter 4  
  
The Angel Voice  
  
A red sun was rising by the time I had dug a grave for my mother.  
  
The grave was quite large and deep and had taken me a long time.  
  
I had gathered some roses growing nearby and had lain several of them on the bottom of the grave.  
  
My mother had been wrapped up in cloth and I carefully laid her on top of the roses, which were her favorite flowers.  
  
Stepping out, I wiped the many tears off my face and began to pile the mound of dug up soil over her remains.  
  
The sun was now already well over the horizon by the time I was done.  
  
Before walking away from the grave, I reached into my pocket and pulled out a single seed.  
  
In it was the life to bring out a newborn rose.  
  
I stooped down and planted it over the grave, looked at it again, and walked back into my house, which was now burned to the ground.  
  
I looked around to find little items of use.  
  
I found some of my clothes and some of my toys, but I only needed the clothes.  
  
I found a large blanket to store them in which I did.  
  
I searched my parent's rooms to find almost nothing.  
  
I did find, however, some clothes that my father had once owned such as a deep blue robe, a pair of mirrored sunglasses, a pair of black boots, and a tan colored fisherman's hat.  
  
They were a little too big for me, but I stashed them in my bag anyway.  
  
I was now outside and facing the road out of the place and into the depths of Macalania Woods.  
  
I had to wait for my father at one of the temples when he and Braska stopped by to receive a new aeon.  
  
The only question was which one should I go to and what if he had already been there?  
  
I ignored these questions and decided to think on it later so I set down the winding road and into the shade of the trees.  
  
I took one last look at my former home, turned and continued on.  
  
-  
  
The signal went off and hundreds of warriors dashed into the artificial forest.  
  
Olo was near the back of the crowd and ran as fast as he could to get to the lead so that he wouldn't get the weaker fiends.  
  
He made it past some of the people but not very much.  
  
Over the forest, a projector had been aimed so that words could appear overhead to give rare hints, report injuries and deaths, and to report some of the most sighted fiends.  
  
Olo decided to ignore this for now because he didn't care about hints and the only way he would know who was hurt would be if he were too.  
  
By now, the large group had begun to thin out as many of the people had been separated.  
  
Olo was trying his best to shake off the wimpy looking fighters behind him, but they seemed to be following him. He guessed so that they could take credit for the larger fiends that he slew by himself.  
  
Finally, he became so frustrated that he whipped out his sword, turned, and faced the small group and said, "Continue to follow me and I will soon be seeing your names on that projection up there!"  
  
The group turned in a flash and was gone before Olo turned and continued down the same path alone.  
  
Olo then decided to look at the projector for the most common fiends but instead found a clue listed above which said: ATTENTION! OF ALL FIENDS PLACED WITHIN THE AREA, ONE IS BY FAR THE STRONGEST OF ALL! DEFEAT IT AND YOU WILL BE GUARENTEED A DEFINITE POSITION IN THE CRUSADERS! BUT TAKE CAUTION, FOR THIS FIEND IS PROVIDED FOR EXPERTS ONLY, WE REPEAT EXPERTS ONLY! IT IS HIDDEN IN THE AREA BUT WILL PROVE DIFFICULT TO FIND! GOOD LUCK!  
  
A wide grin spread over Olo's face for he knew what he had to do.  
  
He decided to continue down the same path but found that it had led him to a dead end.  
  
He turned around to find a Maleboro facing him.  
  
"Finally, I was beginning to think that you fiends were too scared to fight me!" Olo said as he raised his sword and prepared to strike.  
  
Then, the beast reared back its massive head and bellowed a dark green gas from its mouth.  
  
Olo charged at the beast as the gas got closer for every half of a step that he took.  
  
-  
  
Now, I had been in the woods several times in my life but that had been with my father.  
  
With him next to me on the walk, it had comforted me and had made me feel safe, but this time, I was alone.  
  
This time, the woods were dark, eerie, and very frightening for a boy my age.  
  
It was cold so I was forced to put my father's large blue robe on, but even with that on, I still shivered.  
  
Everywhere I walked, stray tree branches scratched at me and tore at my clothes, tearing up the blue robe.  
  
I wandered on despite the pain and tears in my eyes.  
  
My only motivation was seeing my father's face once more.  
  
Finally, I came to an are that I had never been to before.  
  
It was a path that branched off from the crossroads in the center of the woods.  
  
I followed it in curiosity and I soon began to hear music.  
  
The tune was sweet and melodic and I was lured down the path to a sparkling tree and what appeared to be a frozen pond.  
  
For some reason, it looked familiar even though I didn't recall being here once before.  
  
I saw a shiny glint in the corner of the chamber and I dashed towards it in curiosity.  
  
When I reached it though, I found it only to be the glint of a tiny pool no bigger than my own head.  
  
That was when I remembered that I had not had any water for the longest time and I found my face gulping the clear water before I even realized what I was doing.  
  
As I was nearing my fill, I heard a high pitched moan from somewhere behind me.  
  
I turned and hid behind a large root to spy on the voice's owner.  
  
I found myself looking at what appeared to be a trio of brightly colored creatures who resembled musical instruments.  
  
One was a graceful looking creature with a low harp connected to its arm.  
  
The other was a very fat thing that beat the large gut with its large hands making a deep metronome.  
  
The third was a little smaller than the fatter one and had several musical horns around it, which it blew.  
  
Quietly, I listened in.  
  
The one with the horns spoke first, "Oh my goodness, oh my dear my, he's been gone so long, I think I may cry!"  
  
"Do not fret, Pukatak, for I am sure he knows of his doings," said the creature with the harp.  
  
The fat one responded, "But he left us no sign of his leaving, even if he is meeting with the mighty spirit of the woods, it wouldn't hurt him te at least send us a message."  
  
The harped one sighed, "What do you think we should do Pukatak?" it asked.  
  
"I have no clue, what should we do?" said Pukatak.  
  
"We must do something or else, we may be without him forever," said Donga.  
  
Bayla continued to sigh.  
  
I realized that they were in trouble and that they didn't look like a danger so I stepped out of the brush.  
  
Pukatak and Donga were in a deep argument but Bayla noticed me first.  
  
"Look! It's a young boy, be on your guard, he may be a spy," he said.  
  
The other two looked up at me and Donga said, "That little shrimp, how could he poise as a threat!"  
  
I was about to turn away when Bayla said, "Do not be afraid, young one, for we do not wish to harm you. Please come here so we may only talk."  
  
I turned back, and slowly, I edged towards them.  
  
"Who are you?" asked Bayla with concern.  
  
"I'm J-jack," I said nervously.  
  
"There's no need to be afraid, now why would such a young boy be out here in such a dangerous wood what with the fiends?" Bayla continued.  
  
"I was looking for my dad," I said despite the fact that I didn't know these people.  
  
"Please tell me, who might that be?" Pukatak cut in.  
  
"His name is," I started but continued, "Sir Auron."  
  
At that name, all three of the creatures went still, and Bayla stammered, "THE Sir Auron? The legendary warrior who is considered by many to be the greatest swordsman in Spira?"  
  
I nodded in assumption that he was and asked, "Who were you talking about a while ago? Is he lost?"  
  
Bayla kneeled down and explained to me about the magic of the woods bringing he and his companions to life. He told me of a fourth addition to their group who had served as the vocalist who was in charge of the party. One day, the leader had been summoned by the ruling spirit of Macalania Woods to discus something important and that he hadn't returned for a week.  
  
"You see, without our brother, we are going to fade. We rely on each other for each other's existence," Bayla said.  
  
I offered to help them look and they graciously accepted it.  
  
The four of us split up and we began looking.  
  
I had been looking for hours and hours at a time and I began to notice some similar markings where I had previously been.  
  
I stopped near the entrance of the woods connecting to the Thunder plains.  
  
I sat on a small bolder nearby to ponder where else to look.  
  
-Why do you help those low-life creatures?- echoed a dark voice from within my head.  
  
I shook it off and began to ponder once more.  
  
I looked around the entrance for some kind of sign but all I saw were a bunch of glimmering trees.  
  
I was just about ready to give up when I felt some unknown force pulling at my mind.  
  
For some reason, I allowed it to pull me to my feet and guide me towards one particular tree.  
  
Upon reaching it, the force vanished and left me staring at the trunk.  
  
-Something must be here- I thought to myself.  
  
I felt with my hand around the silver bark but I found nothing.  
  
Sadly, I slumped to the ground leaning against the tree.  
  
"I am lost, I need help," I said out loud.  
  
"Why didn't you say so?" echoed a deep voice from the treetops.  
  
I stood up in surprise and look up to see nobody there, but when I looked down, I saw a new shining silver road before me leading up into the higher regions of the woods.  
  
Cautiously, I walked up the path with a firm, yet steady pace.  
  
Something in my heart told me that I needed no fear on this path so I let some of it go.  
  
Soon, I arrived at a split in the path, one, continuing on to the other end of the forest and the other leading to a large crystal and a circle of floating butterflies.  
  
I approached the crystal in curiosity and as I passed through the butterflies, a bright circle of light erupted around me and soon, I found myself looking at a tall, graceful looking creature.  
  
It looked exactly like a human only that instead of skin covering it's body, it was covered in diamonds with emeralds for eyes.  
  
It looked down at me and said in one of the most beautiful voices I had ever heard, "I know why you have come here, Jack, son of Auron. You wish to return me to my fellow musicians for I am the singer of the quartet, I am Maraso. Let us go now to them so their worry may be undone."  
  
I was about to turn and walk back down the path when he continued, "I can see that you have gone through much trouble to find me so I reward you as best as I can."  
  
At that moment, I felt my father's robe leave my back and fall into his hands.  
  
He strolled over to the large crystal and held it up saying, "O' Great Spirit of the Macalanian Woods, bless this blue garment with your light and power."  
  
At these words, the crystal began to glow and soon, so did my robe.  
  
After several moments, the two faded and my robe reappeared on my shoulders.  
  
Maraso then said, "The spirit has given you robe the power of life. As long as you are alive, that robe shall be indestructible. Now, we must go." Finishing these words, he raised his arms and I found myself next to him once more, only we were with Bayla, Pukatak, and Donga at the sphere tree.  
  
"My friends," began Maraso, "I apologize for my lateness for the spirit and I had much to discuss. It lightens my heart to see you once more but it saddens me to tell you that it will be the last."  
  
"What de you mean?" asked Pukatak.  
  
Maraso continued, "The spirit told me that my time in this wood was over and that I was to fade and join with the ice god Shiva."  
  
"If that was their wish then you must go, but we shall miss you with all of our hearts," said Bayla.  
  
Maraso's for began to fade but he nodded and said, "Farewell my friends, but remember, all isn't lost." He looked down at me and said, "I know you look for your father, just so you know, he was last seen in Kilika with Braska. Good luck and thank you."  
  
The next instant, he was gone.  
  
I looked up to see the other three musicians showing no signs of sadness.  
  
"Why don't you act like you miss him, I thought he was your brother," I said.  
  
"He was and still is," said Bayla. "We do sincerely miss him, but we couldn't stop his fate, for nothing can. We will always be with him as he will always be with us. We cannot be angry at the spirit and take vengeance because it will not revive our friend."  
  
I knew that their words were true and I gave them a smile.  
  
I was soon brought back to reality and said, "It was an honor to meet all of you and I wish I could stay, but I must find my father, or my life will be lost. I must get to Kilika."  
  
"We would be happy to send you to the thunder plains if you would like," said Bayla.  
  
I nodded in thanks and I watched the trio lift up their arms.  
  
A flash of light blinded me momentarily but when I regained sight, I was in the shade of a lightening tower.  
  
I pulled the robe over my head, and trudged out into the pouring rain.  
  
-  
  
A/N: It took me a while to finish this one as you can tell by how long it has been since I last updated. I am sooooooooooooooooooo sorry for this. I had to study for finals a lot until the end of school, I was grounded some more, and I went on summer vacation for a couple of weeks. Please forgive me if you can. Over the past couple of days, I have been playing some of my square soft games and I have finally beaten FFX-2 and FFIX. Hallelujah. Anyway, as an apology for taking so long to update, I am going to update another chapter of the Son of Auron: The Hope of Spira. So I'm gonna work on Chapter 13 of that and chapter 5 of this fic. I hope you review this fic, and I will up date this fic faster. More reviews, more updates! Thank you for the reviews I have received from you already.  
  
Callik 


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